an animal or plant that lives in or on a host (another animal or plant); it obtains nourishment from the host without benefiting or killing the host
Used in a Sentence
parasite
How to use parasite in a sentence. Example sentences and definitions for parasite.
Editorial note
One becomes a disease or parasite of the other.
Examples14
Definitions2
Parts of speech1
Quick take
an animal or plant that lives in or on a host (another animal or plant); it obtains nourishment from the host without benefiting or killing the host
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of parasite gathered in one view.
a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for parasite.
noun
an animal or plant that lives in or on a host (another animal or plant); it obtains nourishment from the host without benefiting or killing the host
noun
a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage
Example sentences
One becomes a disease or parasite of the other.
But to shoot back in public and call him a parasite and the weakest person on the team?
One is an irritating parasite that feeds off humans.
The congressman is like a parasite with tentacles into the host's brain.
What we see here is the parasite trying to drill a hole and insert another tentacle into the host.
It's better than shooting zombies with peas or wiping out the world with an engineered parasite.
This is just work for them-- although I can't fathom how they can sleep at night making a living by being what amounts to a parasite.
The parasite's power is only as great as it's ability to convince the host that it is in the best interests to feed the parasite.
What we have here is a worthless parasite class -- a decadent nobility -- that has buried itself into our civilization like a tick.
I may be almost completely disease- and parasite-free, but the guy that's been training five hours a day since he was five will always lift more than me and run further than me.
The Myhrvold guy is a parasite, and so are the source of his $5 billion capital and the ridiculous state of patent law that enables his behavior.
And a meta-parasite is making me write apologetics for other parasites.
Basic income means that every hour worked or dollar earned increases your standard of living, thus creating a higher incentive to work.>You'd have two classes of citizens: the workers and those who are effectively parasites off of the workers.
To me, however, a programmer is who I'm looking for, while a resume full of revenue increases and cost reductions sounds like an "anomalously high-cost parasite who types some mumbo-jumbo into Excel and PowerPoint, claiming credit for others' work".
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use parasite in a sentence?
One becomes a disease or parasite of the other.
What does parasite mean?
an animal or plant that lives in or on a host (another animal or plant); it obtains nourishment from the host without benefiting or killing the host
What part of speech is parasite?
parasite is commonly used as noun.